The issues discussed during the meeting at Equality Illinois included healthcare and human services, youth and schools, housing, immigration, LGBTQ cultural competency of state-funded programs, and the protection and promotion of civil rights.

The governor also presented ceremonial copies of two bills he signed this summer that were part of the 2017 Equality Illinois legislative agenda–bills that modernize the birth certificate law for transgender Illinoisans needing to correct their gender marker and ban the anti-LGBTQ panic defense in murder cases. He also signed this year a bill to build LGBTQ representation on state boards and commissions.

#HireTrans is launching this week to push for more opportunities for transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) individuals, who face high obstacles for consistent employment and advancement opportunities on the job.

The #HireTrans campaign is created by Windy City Times. Equality Illinois is proud to be a sponsor, along with Chicago House and Social Service Agency, Center on Halsted, Howard Brown Health, Heartland Alliance, Association of Latinos/as Motivating in Action (ALMA Chicago), and Pride Action Tank.

Wicked, Chicago’s most popular musical, looks at what happened in the Land of Oz… but from a different angle. Long before Dorothy arrives, there is another girl, born with emerald-green skin—smart, fiery, misunderstood, and possessing an extraordinary talent. When she meets a bubbly blonde who is exceptionally popular, their initial rivalry turns into the unlikeliest of friendships… until the world decides to call one “good,” and the other one “wicked.”

Equality Illinois benefits from Wicked tickets for for the performance on Friday, Dec. 15, 2017 at the Oriental Theatre in Chicago.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer Illinoisans will have an opportunity to hear directly from the Democratic candidates for governor about the issues that impact our lives at a candidate forum in Chicago on Wednesday, December 6, a coalition of organizations that serve and advocate for LGBTQ Illinoisans announced Thursday.

You can register to attend the forum and see the candidates in person.

The “Illinois LGBTQ Forum: The Democratic Candidates for Governor” is organized by Affinity Community Services, the Association of Latinos/as Motivating Action (ALMA), the Equality Illinois Institute, and Pride Action Tank. The forum will take place 6-8 p.m. at the Second Presbyterian Church, 1936 S. Michigan Avenue, in Chicago’s South Loop. The forum organizers also plan to broadcast the event live through social media platforms so LGBTQ organizations and people across the state can watch it.

As of today, the announced Democratic candidates who have confirmed their participation are State Sen. Daniel Biss, anti-violence activist Tio Hardiman, Chicago Ald. Ameya Pawar, businessman J.B. Pritzker, and businessman Chris Kennedy.